Creative
England supported FreelanceDiary, the brainchild of TV director and
cameraperson, Richard Jeffs. During the 12 years working as a freelancer,
Richard experienced a number of problems with the current freelancer booking process
which inspired him to create a ‘new way to book freelancers’.

We
asked Richard a few questions on the process and creation of FreelanceDiary, to
gain an insight into why FreelanceDiary could be revolutionary throughout the
TV, film and creative industries.

Can you give us a quick
overview of the challenge associated with hiring freelancers?

Answering my phone at
work was often challenging, making it difficult for my clients to contact me. New
opportunities were also hard to find. Keen to avoid expensive agency and diary
services, I searched for an online solution, only to discover most platforms
use an antiquated job-posting model that’s too slow for our on-demand industry.
This is what drove me to designed a new, faster freelancer booking platform.

How does FreelanceDiary
help to combat this challenge?

FreelanceDiary removes
the barriers between freelancers and clients by providing fast bookings through
an award-winning app. Replacing
the slow job-posting model is the Diary, a smart calendar app that transforms
freelancers’ availability into opportunity, enabling clients to instantly view
new or favourite freelancers available for their job and make bookings
directly. FreelanceDiary is fast becoming the go-to platform for productions who
require freelancers in all roles.

Are there any features
within FreelanceDiary which are truly exceptional?

The booking process makes
communication very easy, even when freelancers are busy. Another innovative
feature is ‘Contacts’, which enables members to connect their Apple, Google and
phone contacts to instantly view who, from their favourite freelancers, are
available. FreelanceDiary also provides members with a creative
Profile page, allowing freelancers to showcase their work and clients to find
talented freelancers. FreelanceDiary is unique, and the best is still to come.

Can you give us a quick
run through on how to use the service?

A confirmed booking is
made in three, simple steps:

1)
When
clients add their booking dates and job criteria, FreelanceDiary searches all
freelancers’ diaries and displays those with availability. The client can then
view an example of the freelancers’ work and select the best candidates.

2)
Freelancers
are alerted to bookings instantly, with a push notification on their app. By
adding their rate, the total is calculated automatically, enabling freelancers
to respond quickly. Freelancers never miss a golden opportunity due to being
too busy.

3)
Within
minutes, the client starts receiving quotes. They can then book the perfect
freelancer and manage the booking efficiently. The booking updates in both
members’ diaries automatically, and contact details are available throughout
the process should either party require more info.

How do you feel Creative
England’s audience could benefit from using FreelanceDiary?

FreelanceDiary
streamlines freelancer bookings for freelancers and clients, saving both time
and money. Clients get fast access to a large pool of talent and freelancers
receive more opportunities. This new model meets the demand of the growing freelance
workplace, where companies hire quickly for fast turnaround projects.

What’s next for
FreelanceDiary?

We’re currently adding
some cool enhancements to the Profile page and enabling members to connect
their Diary with their Apple and Google Calendars. I’m also very excited about
the release of our Activity feature, but I mustn't give too much away just now!

Do you have any major
aims for the coming year?

We have just released our
freemium model, enabling FreelanceDiary to continue expanding its large
community of talented freelancers and innovative clients quickly. We have some
big goals, which is why we’re proud to have such fantastic support from our
valued members.

Thanks
Richard!

If you’d like to learn more, please visit FreelanceDiary.com and watch the introductory video.